"I have come to render my assistance with the move," Teal'c informs Shelby, as she gets out of basic training.
"I don't really need no help, all the stuff I've got is right here," Shelby says, heaving a giant duffle bag over her shoulder.
"I have come to understand that helping a person move is a sign of intimacy in this culture."
"Fine, you carry the bag. But don't say intimacy, it's nasty," she says, handing the giant bag over.
"Is this another of the words whose meanings are multiplied?"
"Yeah, double meaning, how are we gonna get there, taxi?"
"I have recently acquired a license for operating a motor vehicle, and have borrowed a vehicle from the O'Neill's for the purpose of transporting us to our new abode."
"When did you learn to drive?"
"1969."
She stares at him for a long second before she starts laughing. "I don't understand how you can say a joke like that with a straight face."
"My statement was not meant to be humorous."
"Right, well, I just have to check out with my officer, and then I'm going to take off," she says with a smile.
She turns back to her fellow airmen, and the other airwomen she went through basic training with, a girl named Rosa, says, "Dude your boyfriend is hot."
"He's not my boyfriend," Shelby corrects.
"Really? 'Cause it sounded like you were living with him, and I can sure as hell tell you're not related."
"We're friends," Shelby says.
"A friend with a really nice ass," Rosa giggles.
-0-0-0-
"And this is your room," Teal'c concludes his tour.
"It's got furniture in it," Shelby says confused.
"I was aware that you did not have any. I hope that the items I selected will be pleasing to you."
"Teal'c, ya can't just buy me a buncha stuff."
"If you want to sell these belongings and purchase ones that are more to your liking, I would not object."
"That's not it, Teal'c. I don't need a big fancy bed, and a nightstand, and a dresser."
"These are the things that people of your culture have in their bedrooms."
"No, not my culture, Teal'c. Maybe the rich people culture all your friends come from. Where I come from, people sleep on the floor or a ratty old mattress. They kept their things in boxes they got for free from the grocery store. They most certainly do not have fancy furniture made out of wood."
Teal'c stares at her for a second, "This is not the world that I have seen portrayed on your television screen."
"No, history is always written by the winners. And people from my 'hood aren't really what you would call winners."
"I think you are a winner," Teal'c says.
"Well, thanks," Shelby says.
"Can you explain more of this culture to me? I think it may be similar to my own."
"Yeah," Shelby smiles.
"I will contact my co-workers to remove the unwanted debris from your room," he says, making a motion toward the phone in the kitchen.
Shelby looks at the bed. "You don't have to do that. It might be nice, for once, to live like the rest of the world."
"My research indicates that the rest of the world doesn't live like Americans."
"True," Shelby says.
"I do like American beds," Teal'c says, sprawling out on Shelby's.
She giggles, "You're not just supposta lay down on someone else's bed."
He jumps up, "I wish someone would make me a list of things which are uncouth in this culture."
"If you could ever make a list like that, you would make a lot of money on it. There are a lot of people out there who want an answer to the exact same question that you do."
"Will you be my Yoda?" he asks.
"What?"
"Are you unfamiliar with the Starwars franchise?"
"No, I know who Yoda is, but I'm just not sure what you are asking me for?"
"Will you help me acclimate to this culture?" Teal'c asks.
Shelby smiles, "Of course I will."
A Week Later
Sam smiles as she watches her boys. Jack is oblivious to the fact that his son is copying his every move.
Jack adjusts his baseball cap, and so does Ty.
Jack clears his throat, and so does Ty.
Jack flips a burger on the grill, and Ty flips a mud burger with his spatula.
Ty looks up at his father lovingly, and says, "Daddy, when I grow up I want to be exactly like you."
Jack smiles down at his son. "I'd much rather that you grow up to be exactly like you."
"What about me?" Emma asks, overhearing. "Which Daddy should I grow up to be like?"
Sam breaks in, "I think you can grow up to be like both of your Daddies."
"And your mommy," Jack adds.
"And your Grandpa," Jacob says, lifting the girl up and spinning her around before he sets the girl down.
"But mostly, we just want you to grow up to be you," Jack says as he bends town to tickle the girl.
The sound of sizzling meat makes everyone turn toward the food. "You burnt the meat again, Jack," Sam scolds.
"But don't get your cooking skills from Daddy," Jacob teases.
-0-0-0-
"Teal'c, today was my orientation at the mountain," Shelby says, staring at the man before her with shock on her face.
"You should have told me, and I would have taken you for a meal in the mess in order to celebrate."
"Teal'c, you are so totally missing the point. I went to where you work. I know what you do for a living!"
"I also know what you do for a living," Teal'c says clearly not getting it.
"No, man, I know that your job is to go to other planets."
"Indeed."
"Do you understand how weird that is?"
"My job has always been to other planets," he replies unblinking.
Shelby laughs, "Oh, and that is the far weirder thing. I heard at work, but I'm not sure I can believe it… were you born on another planet?"
"Indeed."
"Holy crap, man, you're a freaking alien? For real?"
"Indeed."
"But you're, like, human, right? Because you look human."
"I am, in fact, Jaffa."
"Ok, but what does that mean, because you totally look human."
Teal'c raises up his shirt slowly.
"Is that a wound?" Shelby asks slowly.
"No, this is what it means to be a Jaffa."
The Goa'uld slowly snacks out of his stomach to catch a couple of seconds in the sunlight. Shelby screams.
"So that is a Jaffa?"
"No, that is a Goa'uld. I am a Jaffa."
"But I thought that the Goa'uld were like the bad guys?"
"They are."
"But you have one, right there," she says, backing away from him.
"On the planet that I came from, people worshiped the Goa'uld. They were our gods. I served the gods for a long time. I was the leader of his army. He was in control of many worlds. I left the serve of the gods, killing many other Jaffa the first time I believed that such an endeavor would be successful."
"That was very brave," Shelby says with a smile. "But why do you still have one of those things inside of you?"
"If I were to remove it, I would die."
"Is it dangerous, like other people?"
"I would never endanger you, or anyone else. When the Goa'uld matures, I will have ample warning. I will try to secure a new symbiote. Short of that, I will remove and execute the one that is within my stomach."
"So they made an entire species of people that were dependent on them."
"One day I am going to free my people from the Goa'uld."
"I'd like to help you with that mission."
"You are doing that."
"Dude, I'm just rearranging the medical cabinet."
"You are reducing the casualties on a tiny force that is going up against the entire universe. Without a good medical staff, we would be quickly defeated."
"Thank you for that."
Next Week
Shelby is exhausted when she walks into the house after a full day of school and work. She stops cold when she see a tablecloth on the table, dishes set on it, and two long candle sticks.
Her mouth drops.
"What is this?" she asks suspiciously.
"It is a traditional Earth dinner," he responds.
"This is a romantic dinner," she says with a single eyebrow raised in a way which closely imitates Teal'c's.
"What does this have to do with a period of artwork and literature?"
Shelby rolls her eyes, "Dude, romance is like dating, flirting, staring deeply into one another's eyes."
"And sharing a meal always includes romance? I have shared many meals at the SGC with the people that I work with," he says, confused.
"No, it's just the fanciness of the meal, and the candles," she says glancing at them.
Teal'c stands up, and blows out the candles with one large blow. "Is the meal unromantic now?" he queries.
Shelby laughs, "Sure, T, it's unromantic now."
"I have to nuke the dinner now," he says, moving to the fridge. He pulls out some fast food bags.
Shelby giggles, "Candlelight and fast food."
"The candlelight has been extinguished," Teal'c corrects.
Three Weeks Later
Daniel is lying in bed, facing the wall. Janet reaches her arm around him. He doesn't resist, but he also doesn't really participate. Janet figures he's just being extra-gentle with her since the miscarriage.
She appreciates it, but she's ready now.
"Daniel, do you think it's time to try for another baby?"
"No," Daniel says with a cold tone of voice.
"What?" Janet asks sitting up so she can see his face.
"I'm just not sure I want to have another kid."
She pauses, figuring out his soul just by looking at him, "Daniel, you can't be afraid of love."
"Janet, there is a very high death rate among people I love. I know it's not rational to believe that I caused them. But the fact is, they're dying. And I can't do it again. I can't lose anyone else."
"Daniel, losing the baby, that was a random occurrence. This kind of miscarriage doesn't mean that I'm more likely to lose a kid in the future."
"No, but it happens. Kids die."
"Daniel, I could die, so could Cassie."
"I know that," his voice is icy.
"So, what, you're going to walk out our lives?" Janet asks gasping in panic at the thought.
"It won't do any good. I already love you. Besides, death isn't the only kind of leaving that hurts. Nick taught me that. And I would never do that to you, and I sure as hell would never do that to Cassie who's already had way too much loss."
"But you're not willing to love someone new?"
He shakes his head.
"I already love it, though. It doesn't exist. And maybe it's silly. Maybe it's even crazy. But I love this baby we could make. And you telling me 'no' is a kind of loss too. Maybe not like death, but…" she starts to cry.
He gets up to kneel before her on the bed. "I love you. And if having a kid is that important to you, we can try for another."
"And I'll do my best to keep this one safe."
"Janet, losing this baby wasn't your fault."
"I know that, intellectually, I know that. But it was inside of me when it died. How can I not feel responsible for that?"
He reaches over, and kisses his temple.
"So this trying for a baby thing… can we start now?" Janet asks with playful eyes.
"You're ok? I mean… it hasn't been that long."
"Honey, can you please let the doctor in the family worry about the medical things."